Hillsborough, Somerset County, and Central New Jersey - News from Yesterday, Today

01 August 2015

Mermaid Pool, Then and Now

The Mermaid Pool has been an attraction at Duke Farms for more than a century. Part of J. B. Duke's interconnected lake system, water flows down from the Duke Reservoir and under West Way to fill the pool, which at one time featured six smaller water spouts surrounding a large central fountain.

Mermaid Pool at Duke's Park, postcard circa 1915

Water then flows through the watercourse pictured in the postcard above and under the bridge where a young Doris Duke can be seen admiring her reflection, eventually cascading down into Vista Lake.

Doris Duke at the Mermaid Pool, circa 1922

Today the well-kept Mermaid Pool lawn is a favorite picnic spot.

Mermaid Pool at Duke Farms, April 2015

Although the smaller fountains are no longer present, I am happy to report that the central fountain is once again operational! See for yourself below.

About the Author

Greg is a longtime New Jersey resident and has lived in Hillsborough since 1993. He was elected to the Hillsborough Township Board of Education in 2007 and also serves as chair of the Historic Preservation Commission. He has also served on the Hillsborough-Millstone Municipal Allianceand as chair of the Cultural Arts Commission. Greg and his wife, Patty, have also served as co-chairmen of "Central New Jersey Walk Now for Autism", the local chapter of the international research and awareness organization Autism Speaks.
A music major at New York University, Greg spent most of his career in the Entertainment Division of the Six Flags Corporation where he was primarily responsible for writing and producing live educational assembly programs for New Jersey school children. Since 2000, he has been a full-time stay-at-home dad, concentrating on raising his two children, and on community service.
Besides his other activities, Greg writes The View From Hillsborough blog for MyCentralJersey.com, which has also been featured over 175 times in The Courier News.
Greg's other interests include music, reading, photography, history, and genealogy.